Episode 16 - Why Adopt Through Foster Care?
We try to make our best case for why you should adopt through foster care.
We start out with some fundamentals that influence our thinking and then list our 8 best reasons to adopt through the foster care system.
There is plenty of data about the harmful effects orphanages have on children. Here is one of many links. http://www.nacac.org/policy/orphanages.html A family is always better than an institution.
Mandi said,
November 10, 2007 @ 6:00 am
Hi Tim and Wendy! I have been listening in for several weeks now and I am thrilled to have found you guys. My husband and I are going through the process of becoming licensed foster parents with the intent of adopting through foster care. Your podcast this week was very encouraging and helped confirm our decision to do so. Thanks for all you do and keep it up!
Tim said,
November 12, 2007 @ 10:39 pm
Mandi,
So glad you found us and that we’re an encouragement to you!
Michelle said,
November 13, 2007 @ 9:15 pm
Why adopt through foster care? Basically agree with everything you’ve said in this week’s episode, albeit through a secular filter (my husband and I are not religious). To us, especially in the face of 500,000 children who need, or will need, adoptive homes, it is simply the right thing to do.
The moral health and justness of a civil society depends on how it treats the least among us–the poor, the needy, the people with whom no one else wants to “burden” themselves. The love that we show to our society’s children in need can, as you point out, increase the value and health of our local and national communities exponentially.
It is a beautiful thing that you two feel called by your faith to care for your two girls and give them a loving home. IMO, it should be an obligation of people of all faiths–or none at all–to do their part to be part of the solution of our societal ills, instead of complaining about society’s problems (and we hear plenty of that, every day, on TV, around friends, at work, everywhere it seems).
So kudos on you for stepping up to the plate and for giving your kids a shelter from the storm when no one else was available or able to do so. You are role models, and I hope that we can do as good a job of parenting as you are doing so clearly with Linda and Amanda.
Tim said,
November 15, 2007 @ 11:37 pm
And if we didn’t make it clear in our episode, we are extremely grateful to know that there are people without the carrot provided by faith who are looking out for kids in need.
Michelle said,
November 16, 2007 @ 9:07 am
Crystal said,
November 26, 2007 @ 10:07 pm
Hey guys, just catching up on your podcasts. Your podcast on teenagers brought back memories from teaching high school (shudder).
Your thoughts as to adopting through foster care as opposed to international seem right-on. Thanks for the thoughts. One question, can you request an age range when you foster adopt?
Tim said,
November 26, 2007 @ 10:59 pm
yep, you can request age, race, gender, and behaviors with fost-adopt.
Christie N said,
January 8, 2008 @ 5:45 pm
i wish adopting from the foster care system were as easy as it’s portrayed in this episode.
I’ve spent the summer and fall trying to adopt from the foster care system, and have had all doors closed. At this point, I’ve pretty much given up. The problem: we already have two children who are 6 and 5. Adopting out of birth order is usually not recommended. And we’re not planning to go that route, because we don’t feel it’s the best choice for our son, who is and wants to remain the oldest. And everywhere we’ve enquired, every agency I’ve called in our state, every agency I have been able to find contact information for, has said, “We simply don’t have children waiting for adoption who are younger than 8. So solving the problem of children in the US waiting for adoption is not as simple as having families who are willing to adopt them.
I wish it were.
Wendy said,
January 8, 2008 @ 10:43 pm
Hi Christie,
Thanks for chiming in. I’m sorry to hear it’s been a frustrating experience. That is odd. I’ve never heard of an agency saying such a thing. In fact, I just came back from an adoption support group where people are adopting kids of all ages. What state do you live in? What do they say happens to all the kids under 8?
Tim is sitting right by me and he is suggesting that we do a podcast on the topic of increasing your odds. Stay tuned!
Wendy
Christie N said,
January 9, 2008 @ 10:16 am
I don’t thinks it’s too odd actually. We’re in michigan. From what I’ve learned, there are children who are younger than ours are in foster care, but they aren’t yet available for adoption. And I think that many times, if parental rights are terminated for children under 5, either extended family or the foster families adopt them. this is probably the best thing for them (barring reunification, and given that I’m not extremely experienced in this area, so I don’t have a lot of knowledge), but it is disheartening for us. I’m not ruling out becoming a foster parent, but I’m also not confident that it’s the best choice for our children. At 5 and 6, I’m not certain they would be able to handle the situation. Still thinking, but nearing the end of the road, I think.
Christie